Phyllis J. Mullenix, Ph.D.

Presentation + Questions & Answers
For ADD-Holistic Discussion Group
http://www.HolisticMed.Com/add/


Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 19:20:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD Introduction of Visiting Expert

Hi! I would like to introduce our next honored Visiting Expert, Dr. Phyllis J. Mullenix. But before I do so, I would like to thank Jonathan Alderson for the detailed and exciting information about the Son-Rise Program at the Option Institute http://www.option.org. Mr. Alderson took time out from an extremely busy schedule to visit the group. I hope you have had a chance to visit their web page and perhaps get on their mailing list. I believe that Mr. Alderson will check his email on Monday to respond to any final questions put to the list.

[Note: This bio was adapted from what was on the 'Net. If there are any inaccuracies, I hope Dr. Mullenix will correct them. :-)]

DR. PHYLLIS J. MULLENIX, Ph.D. is a pharmacologist and toxicologist by training. She graduated from the Truman State University (Zoology -- magna cum laude). Her Postdoctoral Training was as a Research Fellow, Environmental Medicine, The John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore. In the 1980s, Dr. Mullenix was Head of the Toxicology Department at the Forsyth Dental Center, a world renowned dental research institution affiliated with the Harvard Medical School. She was invited to start Forsyth's Toxicology Department because of her expertise in neurotoxicology. She is presently a Research Associate in Psychiatry at the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Boston. Dr. Mullenix's academic appointments, professional positions held, teaching experience, awards, honors and many published scientific research articles to her name are numerous.

The first test Dr. Mullenix was asked to perform at the Forsyth Dental Center was a test related to neurotoxicity of fluoride. The person who asked her to perform this test was Dr. Harold C. Hodge, one of the founders of the Society of Toxicology. Since that time, Dr. Mullenix has conducted additional research related to fluoride including one study which is about to be published. She is considered to be the world's foremost expert on the neurotoxicity of fluoride compounds.

Because of her expertise, Dr. Mullenix is very busy publishing research, presenting at conferences, and meeting a large number of other obligations. But she has generously offered to discuss the issue of pre-natal and post-natal fluoride neurotoxicity and its relationship to ADD/ADHD and other neurological conditions.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Mullenix to the ADD-Holistic list! Don't forget to post your questions after Dr. Mullenix' first post on Monday.

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
Send the message: subscribe
to add-holistic-request@mLists.net


To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Introduction of Visiting Expert
From: janefaus@juno.com (Jane H Hersey)
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 10:26:16 EDT

Dr. Mullenix has taken on a formidable enemy in publishing her findings on fluroide. I applaud her courage!!!

Jane Hersey


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 17:41:32 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net, mgold@tiac.net, PJMTOX@aol.com
Subject: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

It was 1982 when fluoride was first brought to my attention as a substance in need of investigation. At that time, I was in the Departments of Psychiatry at Boston's Children's Hospital and Neuropathology at the Harvard Medical School. My studies focused on detection procedures for neurotoxicity, and they typically considered a variety of environmental and therapeutic agents, i.e., radiation, lead, amphetamine, phenytoin, nitrous oxide. Dr. John Hein, then Director of Forsyth's Dental Infirmary for Children in Boston, was interested in neurotoxicity studies and invited me to continue this research at Forsyth and to apply it to substances used in dentistry. Fluoride was prominent on his list.

Five years lapsed before our investigations of fluoride began. The delay was due to time spent on technological improvements, specifically development of a computer pattern recognition system for the objective quantification of behavior in an animal model. In early June of 1986, the Forsyth Dental Center was noted for this achievement in the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Herald, and applications of our research grew. The new technology enabled us to study the clinically recognized neurotoxicity associated with the treatment for childhood leukemia. Simultaneously, we started investigations of fluoride, the "safe and effective" treatment for dental caries.

Initially, the fluoride study sparked little interest, and in fact we were quite anxious to move on to something academically more exciting. Using an animal model developed for the study of dental fluorosis, we expected rats drinking fluoride-treated water would behave the same as matching controls. They did not. The scientific literature led us to believe that rats would easily tolerate 175 ppm fluoride in their drinking water. They did not. Reports in the literature indicated that fluoride would not cross the blood brain barrier. But it did. Prenatal exposure to fluoride was not supposed to permanently alter behavioral outcome. It did. Like walking into quicksand, our confidence that brain function was impervious to fluoride was sinking.

Our 1995 paper in Neurotoxicology and Teratology was the first laboratory study to demonstrate in vivo that central nervous system (CNS) function was vulnerable to fluoride, that the effects on behavior depended on the age at exposure and that fluoride accumulated in brain tissues. The behavioral changes common to weanling and adult exposures were different from those after prenatal exposure. Whereas prenatal exposure dispersed many behaviors as seen in drug-induced hyperactivity, weanling and adult exposures led to behavior- specific changes more related to cognitive deficits. Brain histology was not examined in this study, but we suggested that the effects on behavior were consistent with interrupted hippocampal development (a brain region generally linked with memory).

Establishing a threshold dose for effects on the CNS, in rats or humans, was not the intent of this initial investigation. Yet, one fact relevant to human exposure emerged quite clear. When rats consumed 75-125 ppm and humans 5-10 ppm fluoride in their respective drinking waters, the result was equivalent ranges of plasma fluoride levels. This range is observed with some treatments for osteoporosis, and it is exceeded ten times over, one hour after children receive topical applications of some dental fluoride gels. Thus, humans are being exposed to levels of fluoride we know alters behavior in rats.

We concluded that the rat study flagged potential for motor dysfunction, IQ deficits and/or learning disabilities in humans. Confident as we were, the data were only one piece of the puzzle, the overall picture was still emerging. Soon thereafter we learned of two epidemiological studies (Fluoride, 1995-1996) from China showing IQ deficits in children over-exposed to fluoride via drinking water or soot from burning coal. A recent review (International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 1994) listed case reports of CNS effects in humans excessively exposed to fluoride, information that spans almost 60 years. A common theme appeared in the reported effects: impaired memory and concentration, lethargy, headache, depression and confusion. The same theme was echoed in once classified reports about workers from the Manhatten Project. In all, our rat data seem to fit a consistent picture.

Information linking fluoride and CNS dysfunction continues in 1998.

  1. A recent study in Brain Research demonstrated that chronic exposure to fluoride in drinking water of rats compromised neuronal (hippocampal) and cerebrovascular integrity (blood brain barrier) and increased aluminum concentrations in brain tissues.

  2. Masters and Coplan have reported (International Journal of Environmental Studies, in press) that silicofluorides in fluoridated drinking water increased levels of lead in children's blood, a risk factor that predicts higher crime rates, ADD and learning disabilities.

  3. Luke at the International Society for Fluoride Research (ISFR) meeting in August reported that fluoride accumulated in the human pineal gland, as much or more so than in bones and teeth, and the pineal gland's melatonin biosynthesis pathway is affected by fluoride.

  4. Also at the ISFR meeting, I reported that the fluorinated steroid (dexamethasone) disrupts behavior in rats to a greater degree than does the nonfluorinated steroid (prednisolone). This finding matched results just completed in a study of children receiving steroids as a part of their treatment for childhood leukemia. Dexamethasone, compared to prednisolone, further reduced IQ, specifically impairing reading comprehension, arithmetic calculation and short-term working memory.
Exposure to fluoride goes well beyond that in our drinking water, toothpastes and mouth rinses. Fluoridation of water dictates that it is in food and processed beverages. Pesticides such as cryolite also increase fluoride content of foods. The trend toward fluorinating pharmaceuticals increases fluoride exposure via medication. Fluoride, in various compounds, plays a heavy role in occupational exposures and for people living in close proximity to industry, i.e., aluminum, steel, brick, glass, petroleum, etc. With exposure so common, we can no longer afford to ignore potential CNS consequences of fluoride.

I would be happy to answer questions about any of the above material.

Phyllis J. Mullenix, Ph.D.


Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1998 15:48:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Dr. Mullenix,

Thank you very much for providing an overview of the neurotoxicity of fluoride! The new research was especially interesting. I would like to ask a couple of questions that would clarify things for me and perhaps for the group as well. I hope these questions aren't too long-winded. :-)

  1. If I understand correctly, the findings in your original study are equivalent to humans receiving water fluoride ion (F-) concentration of 5-10 parts per million (ppm) (based on equivalent blood levels).

    I heard that in the following experiment which you described:

    • A recent study in Brain Research demonstrated that chronic exposure to fluoride in drinking water of rats compromised neuronal (hippocampal) and cerebrovascular integrity (blood brain barrier) and increased aluminum concentrations in brain tissues.

    the rats were given water with a fluoride ion concentration of 1 part per million (ppm). (2.2 ppm of NaF = 1 ppm F-) Is that correct? It does seem like quite a low dose in animal studies -- i.e., they gave the animals the same water F- concentration as received by humans. Or was it the "equivalent dose" that was 1 ppm after adjusting for differences in the way rats and humans concentrate fluoride in the blood?

  2. I know that there are a number of double-blind experiments showing that fluoridated water can cause headaches, tiredness, visual disturbances, joint pain, etc. I have also seen fluoride reactions mentioned clinically by Dr. Doris Rapp and other. Dr. Michael Schacter has said in part:

      "[ADD] conditions are frequently improved by cleaning up children's diets and removing fluoride. A lot of these kids are sensitive to fluoride; they get headches, are hyperactive, have problems with attention, and often they're on fluoride, which is not only in heir drinking water, but is also being given to them in pills and fluoride treatments. Some of these kids benefit from coming off fluoride, and some from taking particular viamins and minerals, such as magnesium."

      http://www.garynull.com/Documents/Nutrition&Mind/nutrition&mind-7.htm

    Are these neurological reactions another sign that fluoride is crossing the blood brain barrier? If this is the case and if some children improve being after completely removing fluoride, could it be the case that the effects of post-natal exposure (or at least some of the effects) are reversible? Or is this just a case of the above-mentioned symptoms being acute sensitivities while your research is looking more at long-term, silent neurotoxicity.

  3. Given that fluoride is in so many things: tap water, food prepared with tap water, foods grown with pesticides that have fluoride, occupational exposure, etc. it may be difficult to remove fluoride exposure completely. Do you have any suggestions for practical steps that can be taken to reduce exposure? Also, are there particular nutrients that are helpful in reducing toxicity?
As an aside, I found the following quite interesting:

> 3) Luke at the International Society for Fluoride Research (ISFR)
> meeting in August reported that fluoride accumulated in the human
> pineal gland, as much or more so than in bones and teeth, and the
> pineal gland's melatonin biosynthesis pathway is affected by fluoride.

I once wondered if the large increase in fibromylagia cases might be due, at least in part, to medium- or long-term fluoride exposure. A couple of years ago, I saw a statement by a physician/researcher about the buildup of apatite crystal in cases of fibromylagia:

This reminded me of the New Zealand studies showing a connection between fluoride and repetative stress injury and the buildup of apatite crystals. New Zealand Medical Journal, 98:556-557, 1985 and New Zealand Medical Journal, 28 August, 1985, page 710.

However, fibromyalgia cases often involve sleep disorders as well. That is why your mention of the fluoride affecting the melatonin biosynthesis pathway is interesting. Of course, I'm just speculating, but I do wonder if long-term fluoride exposure might be a significant contribuatory factor in the development of fibromyalgia. Hmmm. :-)

Sorry for sidetracking from ADD....

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/


Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 09:54:19 -0500
To: add-holistic@mlists.net
From: "Russell Blaylock, M.D."
Subject: ADD fluoride

Dr. Mullenix,

I found your statement on the neurotoxicity of fluoride quite interesting. This is an area that I have intended to explore in my studies on neurotoxicity. Your observation that humans obtain blood levels comparable to those of rats when humans consume much smaller fluoride doses, is comparable to what we see with glutamate consumption. Humans absorb glutamate at a rate 5 fold that of mice and 20 fold that of non-human primates.

As for your observation that earlier reports indicated that fluoride did not pass through the BBB, also reflects the early statements about both glutamate and magnesium. It is now recognized that many substances that will not pass the BBB with acute exposures will on chronic exposure. In fact, glutamate actually concentrates in the brain with chronic exposure. Magnesium passes through the BBB slowly in a gradient fashion. I was wondering if you had any evidence that the brain accumulated fluoride with chronic exposure. Also, I would like to know if there have been any studies demonstrating the mechanism of action of fluoride on the neuron or glia cell? Is it a direct toxin or indirect? Your observation that fluoride stimulates the absorption of aluminum is critical, since aluminum plays a vital part in iron generated hydroxyl ion generation in the presence of the superoxide ion, and especially in the presence of beta amyloid. That would connect fluoride to excitotoxicity.

Are you aware of any studies that have demonstrated a protective role for magnesium in fluoride toxicity, since magnesium competes with aluminum for normal albumin carriers of magnesium past the BBB? Alpha lipoic acid may also be a candidate for neuroprotection, since it can protect against other metal poisoning, such as with arsenic.

Are you aware of commercial water filters that can remove fluoride from drinking water? I know the Brita filters do not. I was not aware of the presence of fluoride in dexamethasone. Unfortunately, it is the most common steroid used in neurosurgery for a variety of conditions, brain tumors, trauma, radiation necrosis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, etc. This could be especially damaging in pediatric neurosurgical cases. Is fluoride present in medrol?

I would appreciate it if you could send me your published papers on this subject.

Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 13:28:15 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD fluoride

In a message dated 98-09-16 11:54:13 EDT, you write:

<< Are you aware of commercial water filters that can remove fluoride from drinking water? >>

This would be interesting to know as well , even most bottled waters are extracted from tap waters (city treated water ) then purified (if that ) with carbon or reverse osmosis filters ........here in Hawaii they do not floridate the water , and it has no trace floride in it .....the pediatricians all prescribe floride to the infants that have teeth ... i personally use a filter on my water system .. but i am not aware of its ability to remove any flouride ... i do know that it has a list of impurities and Or/ inorganic carcinagins that it removes according to NSF Standard 53.... as well as leaving in the beneficial minerals ..... since Flouride is naturaly occuring in the water as well , do you think that it will pass through any filter like minerals do ?


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 15:43:25 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Hi Mark,
Thank you for the questions and interest in our work. The following are responses to your questions.

  1. You have the dose for the Brain Research paper correct. It was essentially 1 ppm fluoride in the drinking water for 52 weeks (not an equivalent dose). This was indeed a very low dose, but one close (or even lower) to that consumed by humans. Note that our study in rats included higher doses, but for shorter periods of time (6 or 20 weeks duration). We realized at the time that the duration of exposure was just as critical as the dose. We proposed studies looking at much lower doses with longer durations, but that was where our research was cut off. Hmmm, indeed.

  2. There is no question that fluoride crosses the blood brain barrier, and it is also likely that some neurological effects can be reversed. The key variables to reversibility may involve: 1) the age at exposure- the earlier in brain development when exposed, the more likely changes will not be reversible. 2) the dose and duration of exposure. There are more than one mechanism by which fluoride could be causing problems for the brain. Repeated peak exposures to fluoride for a short duration of time may be a problem if the peaks occur during critical periods of brain development. The mechanism to be suspicious of here is fluoride's ability to interfere with the G2 phase of the cell cycle. In other words, it can interfere with brain development the same way that x-irradiation does. In contrast, low steady doses of long duration can still be a problem for the brain, even if the brain is well developed. However, the mechanism to be suspicious of here is the accumulation of fluoride. This situation is more likely to be reversible, but the problem is stopping the exposure to allow the body time to rid itself of the deposits so that the brain can recoup. Remember, there are major storage sites for fluoride in the body (bones, teeth and the pineal gland). Every time bones remodel, they kick out fluoride which can then be recirculated and go back into other soft tissues, including the brain. Ridding the body of fluoride can take years, even if you accomplished the difficult task of stopping all sources of fluoride exposure.

  3. There are ways to restrict fluoride exposure:

    • drink distilled water or bottled water with known low fluoride content (i.e., Evian)
    • avoid drinking processed beverages made with fluoridated water- colas, etc.
    • avoid drinking tea
    • avoid foods sprayed with cryolite- used often on potatoes (outer peel may have as much as 20 ppm fluoride)
    • avoid foods that labs have confirmed as being high in fluoride- some cereals (fruit loops, wheaties), vegetables grown next to industries- spinach, celery
    • whenever possible, switch from fluorinated to nonfluorinated medications. Besides steroids, antibiotics, anesthetics (methoxyflurane) and antidepressants (prosac and paxil) contain fluorine in chemical structure. When metabolized, they may contribute to fluoride levels in blood.
    • get plenty of calcium in diet (magnesium can help some too).

  4. The link of fluoride with fibromyalgia has not been explored in any depth. The new data showing fluoride's impact on melatonin biosynthesis, and the high concentrations in the human pineal gland, should be a real eye opener for many. I am ill at ease with this enzyme poison (fluoride) being that close to the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis functions in the body. Research is needed immediately, but will it happen for this politically sensitive subject?
I'm sorry if these answers are long, but there is much to say and learn.

Phyllis J. Mullenix, Ph.D.


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 16:57:13 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Phyllis J. Mullenix, Ph.D.
In a message dated 98-09-17 16:14:19 EDT, you write:

> 3) There are ways to restrict fluoride exposure:
> a) drink distilled water or bottled water with known low fluoride
> content (i.e., Evian)
>
> c) avoid drinking tea >>

question about "A":are there any water filters that remove Flouride ? i have researched and found that distillers do but they are expensive. please enlighten on this

question about "C" avoid drinking TEA ? why is that ? i am confused on this statement ... i drink a several different varieties of Green Tea from tea bags ....perhaps you are referring to ready made teas that come in a can or a glass bottle that could have been made with flouridated water ?


Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 17:21:42 -0500
From: Randy Fields
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

I have heard that one of the reasons China doesn't fluoridate its water supply, in general, is because so many Chinese drink green tea daily. I suppose this means that green tea is quite a source for fluoride! One other thought on China, though: many of the Chinese have permanently discolored and/or malformed teeth, not due to lack of fluoride, but due to the abundant use of tetracycline as an antibiotic.

Randy Fields


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 18:59:35 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

> I have heard that one of the reasons China doesn't fluoridate its water supply,
> in general, is because so many Chinese drink green tea daily. I suppose this
> means that green tea is quite a source for fluoride!

I dont know , but it sure raises my curiosity on the issue of tea and Fluoride , anyone else have any info onb Fluoride , and Tea or green tea ?
Aloha
Frank


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 19:07:20 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Hmmm, after doing a search for studies on green tea and fluoride , i came up with many , here is one of interest , Notice the PPM Title
[Fluoride contents in tea and Sakura-shrimp in relation to other inorganic constituents]
Author
Asanami S; Tanabe Y; Koga H; Takaesu Y
Source
Shikwa Gakuho, 89(8):1407-12 1989 Aug
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the fluoride contents of shrimp and of tea samples obtained from Shizuoka prefecture which is famous for tea products area and fishery market and to examine the relations between fluoride and other mineral contents, such as calcium, magunesium and phosphorus. Fluoride contents in tea produced in this area have been reported by Matsuura and Kokubu and other investigators, but more recent data are scarce. Samples were taken from a kind of shrimp known as Sakura-shrimp and from 4 kinds of commercial tea (coarse tea, 2 kinds of green tea and refined green tea). After having been dried and powdered, 1g of each sample was reduced to ashes at 550 degrees C for 10 hours with Ca(OH)2 as a fluoride fixative. Fluoride was distilled from each ash sample at about 140 degrees C with HClO4, and about 200 ml of distillate was collected from each sample. Fluoride contents were determined by means of ion-specific electrode. Calcium and magnesium contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and phosphorus contents were determined by Chen, Toribara and Warner's method. Total fluoride contents of the samples were as follows: 61.73ppm in shrimp, 180.16ppm in coarse tea, 72.62ppm and 89.02ppm in the 2 kinds of green tea, and 71.11ppm in refined green tea. More than 99% of the total fluoride was obtained from 150ml distillate of each sample. Calcium contents were extremely high in shrimp (21,822ppm) and 2,106-2,693ppm in tea samples. Magnesium contents were highest in shrimp (3,088ppm) and lowest in coarse tea (1,333ppm).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 19:09:41 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Title
Studies on the leaching of fluoride in tea infusions.
Author
Gulati P; Singh V; Gupta MK; Vaidya V; Dass S; Prakash S
Address
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra, India.
Sci Total Environ; VOL 138, ISS 1-3, 1993, P213-21
Secondary Source ID
TOXBIB/94/082260;
Abstract
In order to assess the levels of fluoride ingestion through intake of tea, studies were conducted with four different brands of tea leaves commonly available in the Indian market. Four most prevalent methods for the preparation of tea with various contact times (2,4,6,8 and 10 min) of tea leaves with water show that: (a) leaching of fluoride is least in case of leaf tea as compared to powdered tea (F levels increasing with decreasing grain size); (b) leaching of fluoride reaches a maximum after a contact of about 6 min; (c) there is no difference between levels of fluoride with or without addition of milk in the English style where tea leaves are not boiled, while for the Indian style, addition of milk and subsequent boiling resulted in reduction of fluoride levels and (d) ingestion of fluoride per cup of tea ranged from 1.55 mg/l to 3.21 mg/l amounting to an intake per day per person of fluoride between 0.3 to 1.9 mg.


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 19:27:52 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

> 61.73ppm in shrimp, 180.16ppm in coarse tea, 72.62ppm
> and 89.02ppm in the 2 kinds of green tea, and 71.11ppm in refined green
> tea. More than 99% of the total fluoride was obtained from 150ml
> distillate of each sample.

This seems really High , wow , guess i am gonna not drink tea anymore .....(SIGH)


Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 17:51:52 -0700
From: Thomas Hobson
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Just one question about this floride element. Is the floride in tea and shrimp of the same nature as what is found or put into drinking water? Is one natural, organic and safe and the other chemical, inorganic and harmful?
Tom


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 20:32:04 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Regarding the different forms of fluoride:
Water treatment usually consists of fluosilicic acid and sodium silicofluoride. Such silicofluorides are the form of fluoridation that is being seriously questioned now for increasing lead levels in children. Most fluoridation systems in the US use this form of fluoride. It's the cheapest. Some use sodium fluoride instead, but not many.

"Natural" forms of fluoride usually mean calcium fluoride. Calcium fluoride doesn't dissolve as readily as say sodium fluoride, and therefore it usually takes a higher dose to cause health effects. Inhaled fluoride can be in the form of fluorine (very rare) or hydrogen fluoride (which reacts with water to form hydrofluoric acid). Caution, if the fluoride ion gets into the body, regardless of what the source, it produces the same effects because the body does not distinguish between them. A fluoride ion is always a fluoride ion. Don't be fooled by the label of "natural" versus "artificial".


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 21:40:20 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

For more information about the content of fluoride in tea, and other foods as well, read the Journal of AOAC International, vol 78, no. 4, 1995. "Survey of lead, cadmium, fluoride, nickel, and cobalt in food composites and estimation of dietary intakes of these elements by Canadians in 1986-1988." On page 899 it states: "Individual samples with the highest fluoride levels were cooked veal (1230 ng/g), canned fish (4,570 ng/g), shellfish (3,360 ng/g), cooked wheat cereal (1020 ng/g), and tea (4,970 ng/g) (Table 2)." For fluoride amounts in fruit juices, check out The Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, vol. 16, no. 1, 1991. White grape juice by Gerber contains 6.8 ppm fluoride, the juice with the highest fluoride content.


From: FJBCIII@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 21:46:31 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

<< ng/g) >>

what is that NANO grams ?


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 22:46:55 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD fluoride

Dr. Blaylock,
Our rat studies demonstrated that subchronic exposures (6-20 weeks exposure in drinking water), definitely allowed brain accumulation of fluoride. One prior study (from a different lab) concluded that fluoride did not pass the bbb to any appreciable degree, because they gave an injection of fluoride iv, then measured brain levels one hour later. It was inappropriate to conclude from such an acute exposure what fluoride would do in the chronic situation. The fluoride case sounds very much like the glutamate situation.

In regard to mechanisms, I am afraid I can only give possibilities worth studying. For example:

  1. fluoride appears to inhibit the G2 phase of the cell cycle. For the developing brain this means problems for cell proliferation, cell differentiation and antimetabolite properties.
  2. fluoride increases cAMP, and interacts with Ca, Mg and Al
  3. fluoride has anticholinesterase activity
  4. fluorine (as the fluorine in dexamethasone) has "enhancing activity" which may mean greater penetration into the brain.
In all, mechanisms are still a mystery.

With regard to magnesium, magnesium has been reported to increase the threshold at which fluoride toxicity begins. How well this works for neurotoxicity protection is not well defined.

I am not familiar with commercial water filters that remove fluoride. Only reverse osmosis or distillation works as far as I know.

The news about dexamethasone is disturbing. In leukemia it is preferred more often now because of better penetration into the brain and it adds to cancer killing efficacy. This efficacy needs balance with toxicity studies, however. In terms of chemical structure of dexamethasone, fluorine is added in the 9 a position of ring B. The fluoride is created by metabolism, which is known to occur in rats. No study has checked whether chronic treatment with dexamethasone increases plasma fluoride levels in humans. This must be done since the impact on behavior is greater than the nonfluorinated prednisolone. Medrol, I believe is not fluorinated.

The dexamethasone work in animals and children has only recently been completed. When it is in published form, I would be happy to send it to you.

Phyllis J. Mullenix, Ph.D.


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 23:13:44 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Yes, ng/g refers to nanograms per gram (10 to -9 power)


Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 11:48:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Visiting Expert-Fluoride

Dr. Mullenix,

Thank you very much for the detailed responses and the references! I have a couple of followup questions, one simple one and one a bit more complex (at least for me!).

  1. I assume that 4,970 ng/g for tea is 4.97 parts per million (ppm) or nearly five times the concentration of the fluoride ion found in most artificially fluoridated water (i.e., 1 ppm)?

  2. I have a question related to naturally-occuring levels of fluoride ions in water and some food products. I hope this doesn't confuse things, but this question comes up alot.

    It is my understanding that fluoride ion concentration in most unfluoridated water in the US is far below 1 ppm, but that there often is some naturally-occuring fluoride. I believe that the most common source is calcium fluoride (CaF2). There is also a significant level of calcium ions and magnesium ions in most water. (In fact, some of the calcium ion would come from the breakdown of CaF2.)

    I believe that it is known that calcium and magnesium ingestion reduce acute toxicity (i.e., poisoning from fluoride). But my questions related to chronic toxicity, including neurotoxicity:

    • Would the temporary increase in blood levels of calcium or magnesium from water reduce the effects of the relatively small amounts of fluoride found in most *unfluoridated water*? Perhaps these ions bond with the fluoride ion allowing for quick elimination via the urine? Thus, one would assume that fluoridated water with low calcium and magnesium levels (e.g., soft water) would be even a greater potential danger?

    • Is it correct to assume that blood levels of calcium and magnesium are important to reduce chronic toxicity? I believe this has been seen in India? I know that many children on this list may be sensitive to dairy, but this might speak to the importance of having at least some adequate intake of these nutrients.

    • I have heard that fluoride intake can increase the likelihood of calcium and magnesium deficiencies. Is that the case?

  3. Are there any special concerns a person should have about well water?
Thanks!

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
Send the message: subscribe
to add-holistic-request@mLists.net


Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 11:21:26 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Fluoride & Water Resources

Hi!

I want to thank Dr. Mullenix for up-to-date details about fluoride neurotoxicity and how it might relate to ADD and other behavioral disorders. It is possible that she may get a chance to answer the last couple of questions I posted.

What follows are some resources that may prove helpful to those who want to avoid fluoride neurotoxicity:

  1. Here are my recommendations for water alternatives and other alternatives:

    http://www.holisticmed.com/fluoride/fluoride.alt

    Please note that there are some updates. Since I wrote this page several years ago, FDA rules have gone into effect (at the request of the American Bottled Water Association) to define terms used on bottled water. If they use the term "Spring Water" on the bottle, it has to be spring water or they are breaking government regulations. If alot of flowery imagery is used to describe the water (e.g., Mountain fresh water, etc.) but no term, "Spring Water," then it is not spring water and may be filtered tap water with a relatively high fluoride content.

  2. I'm not sure if the resource listed on the page still carries a reverse osmosis filter. I know that they are becoming more popular. One thing to keep in mind about a reverse osmosis filter is that it does not remove chloramine from the water which is used by some municipalities (e.g., San Francisco, I believe).

  3. If you are concerned about preventing dental disease, the Oramedics program is excellent when used without the fluoride. It requires just the purchase of a book (not from me). Please see:

    http://www.holisticmed.com/dental/prevent.html
Hope this helps.

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/

Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
Send the message: subscribe
to add-holistic-request@mLists.net


From: PJMTOX@aol.com
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 13:29:07 EDT
To: mgold@tiac.net, add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD Re: Fluoride Question

Dear Mark,

  1. The levels of fluoride in tea that I was referring to are 4.97 ppm, about 5 times the level of artificial fluoridation.

  2. Your comments regarding Ca and Mg are correct:

    Ca and Mg levels of water are important. For example, Ca can bind fluoride and reduce the amount of fluoride absorbed in the gut in the first place. Fluoridated water with low Ca and Mg can make a bad situation even worse. Deficiencies in Ca and Mg have frequently been reported in the literature to reduce the threshold at which fluoride toxicity will occur. Dietary intake of Ca definitely should not be ignored.

  3. Often well water contains low levels of fluoride, but not always. It's best to have the level confirmed. Even the "natural" fluoride can cause toxicity if enough is consumed over a long period of time.
Thanks for having me as a guest with the ADD group. Your efforts to provide information about this perplexing problem are critical. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,
Phyllis J. Mullenix, Ph.D.


----------------------------
New Information
----------------------------

Date: Sun, 10 Oct 1999 23:24:41 -0600 (MDT)
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: mgold@tiac.net
Subject: Re: Nutritional-metabolic medicine [was Re: ADD Chromium question]

> I really enjoyed the info on Hypothyroidism. Dr John Lee reports more
> than 50% co-morbidity with ADD.
> Tomm

Tomm,

I would be interested to know where Dr. Lee has reported that. A number of months ago, Dr. Phyllis Mullenix (Former Director of the Toxicology Department of the Forsyth Dental Center) discussed her research and more recent research showing the neurotoxicity of fluoride compounds at levels currently ingested by much of the population. (See her presentation at: http://www.holisticmed.com/add/mullenix.html ) In her research, some of the animals showed symptoms similar to what is common in ADD or ADHD children. Other research showed damage to brain cells at 1 ppm fluoride and adverse effects on the functioning of the pineal gland.

But what I find interesting is that it has recently been discussed by a number of scientists that fluoride was commonly used to treat HYPERthyroidism in the early and mid-1900s at doses commonly ingested by people today (who get fluoride through water, toothpaste, etc.). Here is some information presented to a review panel in the U.K. by Andreas Schuld of British Columbia, Canada:

    I have supplied the Review with references to the work of May (1935, 1937, 1950), who treated 1,158 hyperthyroid patients _effectively_ within 6 years with either sodium fluoride or fluorotyrosine ("Pardinon"). I have given references to Gorlitzer von Mundy (1963) who for more than 30 years treated in excess of 650 patients _effectively_ with baths containing fluoride.

    I have given references to Galetti (1958) who gave 0.9 to 4.5 F- mg per [day] to patients suffering from Graves' disease. In those studies the average protein-bound iodine decreased from 9.8 to 6.7 ug/dl, basic metabolic rate from +37% to +27%. Similar data can be seen in many other studies.

    EVERY study we looked at investigating BOTH iodine and fluoride reported increasing iodine excretion or lowering iodine levels in the system with increasing intake of fluorides. The reported effects of fluoride poisoning are identical to hypothyroid related disorders.

The doses used to depress the thyroid functioning in the above-mentioned studies are similar to what is commonly ingested today. I believe that these are the references being cited:

44)Galetti, PM;Joyet, G - "Effect of Fluorine On Thyroidal Iodine Metabolism in Hyperthyroidism" J Clin Endocrinol 18:1102-1110 (1958)

45)May, W - "Antagonismus zwischen Jod und Fluor im Organismus" Klin Wochenschr 14:790-792 (1935)

46)May, W - "Behandlung der Hypothyreosen einschlie_lich des schweren genuinen Morbus Basedow mit Fluor" Klin Wochenschr 16:562-564 (1937)

47)Gorlitzer von Mundy - "Einfluss von Fluor und Jod auf den Stoffwechsel, insbesondere auf die Schilddr|se" M|nch Med Wochenschrift 105:234-247 (1963)

For people who want to know more about fluoride and health effects, I suggest reading Dr. Mullenix' presentation at:

http://www.holisticmed.com/add/mullenix.html

and then reading my web page at:

http://www.holisticmed.com/fluoride/

Scientists and physicians who want the "gory details" can continue *after reading* the above-mentioned two pages (and associated links) and continue with:

Unanimous Statement of EPA Scientists
http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/epa2.htm

Thyroid Studies
http://www.bruha.com/fluoride/html/thyroid_studies.htm

Recent Abstracts
http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/index.htm

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@tiac.net
Home of ADD/ADHD Holistic Mailing List
http://www.HolisticMed.com/add/
Send the message: subscribe
to add-holistic-request@mLists.net


Subject: ADD Hypothyroidism
From: George von Hilsheimer
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1999 11:41:46 -0400

In my dissertation, A PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DELINQUENTS, Humanitas Press, 1977, thyroid values were least for patients with marked objective brain injury, for passive learning disabled, and for chronic patients, the sicker the delinquent the lower the thyroid. S.D.Klotz, M.D., taught us years ago, that hypothyroidism should always be considered in any problem child. More, that lab results should be repeated, and borderline results, with positive symptoms, were diagnostic and should be taken seriously (ie., the pt given thyroid) (See his appendix chapter in HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR SPECIAL CHILD , Acropolis Books, D.C., 1970, also Klotz, S.D. "Putting medicine into the "medical model". Human Learning #9, J. Am.Soc Humanistic Education, 1969.). Tintera's early work on hypoglycemia emphasized the importance of hypothyroidism, allergy and low blood sugar as an interactive syndrome.

George von Hilsheimer, Ph.D., F.R.S.H.>